The Democrats appear to be winning the debate over Social Security these days, and a recently breaking news item can only help them advance their cause. CQ Today's Midday Update (free email service) has the story.

Citing pension troubles at United Airlines, Democrats today argued that insecurity in private pension plans heightens the importance of maintaining the guaranteed benefits of the Social Security program.

On Tuesday, a federal bankruptcy court in Chicago ruled that United Airlines could terminate its pension plans, handing responsibility for paying benefits to nearly 120,000 current and future airline employees to the federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. The decision, if upheld on appeal, will mean cuts in benefits for many of the employees.

“The issue we have been battling for — saving Social Security and strengthening it — intensifies each and every day in its importance,” said Rep. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, the House Democratic Caucus chairman.

The Republican response...

Republicans rejected that argument, contending instead that the United Airlines case “underscores the importance of allowing people to set aside some of their payroll taxes into personal accounts,” said Sen. John E. Sununu, R-N.H.

That has got to be the most lame retort I've heard in some time, and Republicans were so timorous about it that they sent a first term Senator to deliver it rather than a member of the leadership. Surely they could have come up with something better than than, no?